Re: Schema, databse, or tables in different system folder

Thank you for your response Chris.  It is helping us a great deal to
understand the issues around backups.  Would any of the pg_xlog, pg_clog,
etc change for a table that has a stable structure and data?  That is, the
table undergoes several inserts and then it is never updated.
"Chris Browne" <cbbrowne@acm.org> wrote in message
news:87prdlgurv.fsf@dba2.int.libertyrms.com...
> "Carlos Oliva" <olivac@earthlink.net> writes:
>> Would the backup be unrecoverable if I shutdown the databse first?
>
> If the backup includes pg_xlog and pg_clog, as well as all of the
> database metadata files, then whatever portions *are* included are
> likely to be somewhat usable.
>
> The portions not included in the backup will obviously not be usable.
>
> But supposing your backup does not include *all* metadata (e.g. -
> pg_catalog), pg_xlog and pg_clog, then it is unlikely that you'll be
> able to recover *anything at all* from it.
>
> The intent is that filesystem backups only work for complete backup
> and restoration of an entire database cluster.
>
> Backing up *part* of your filesystem is Not Recommended in the
> documentation.  If you set a policy of doing so, you have to accept
> that you are doing this contrary to documented recommendations, and at
> considerable peril to your data.
> --
> (reverse (concatenate 'string "ofni.secnanifxunil" "@" "enworbbc"))
> http://cbbrowne.com/info/multiplexor.html
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> indestructible  except  for   one  small  and  virtually  inaccessible
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